Wrench.



A. J. WHITFIELD.

WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED IUNE14. 1913.

1 Patented June 20, 1916.

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ARTHUR J. WHITFIELD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TRIMONT MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 20, 19116.

' Application filed June 14, 1913. Serial No. 773,782.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. WHIT- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Wrenches, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,

like numerals on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to wrenches of the type shown in United States Patents No. 429,088, and No. 114:,663, and its object is to improve and perfect wrenches of that type. In making a wrench of the type described in said prior patents, particularly in a Stillson wrench, it is of importance that the tilting frame or swinging part of a wrench of that type should be of great strength. It is also desirable that such wrenches be made of steel, in order to provide sufficient tensile strength, without undue bulk and weight, but heretofore it has been impossible to form the tilting frame of steel, owing to the difficulties and can pense of fashioning such a frame. Therefore the frame has been made of malleable cast iron, while all the other parts of'the wrench were of steel, and this renders the frame the weakest portion, and yet that portion on which the greatest breaking strain was apt to be brought in the ordinary use of the wrench. In order to obviate the objections above noted, my invention contemplates the provision of means whereby the entire wrench, including the tilting frame, may be of steel, and thus enables the entire wrench to be of substantially equal and suitable tensile strength without undue weight or bulk. Also, by my invention, I am enabled to form the frame of sheet or pressed steel in an economical manner, without the necessity of milling or other machine work to smooth or finish the bearing portions of the frame, but the entire frame may be stamped. out of sheet pressed steel, and shaped up into form while cold.

A further object of my present invention is to improve the capability of the wrench by so forming the tilting frame that it will provide for a greater swing in the movable jaw member of the wrench. To this end I preferably form the tilting frame of novel contour, so that a sufficient clearance is provided to permit the desired full extent of tilting or swinging motion suitable for the particular size of wrench involved.

Further features of the invention, novel combinations of parts, and details of construction will be hereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a completed wrench embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a view of the tilting frame as it is stamped out of sheet steel; Fig. 3 is a View of the frame as the same has its sides or wings broughtup into shape; Fig. 1 is a view of the frame with one wing broken away and with the guide or lug attaching the wings together in position; Fig. 5 is an end view of the completed frame; Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the lug before being united to the frame; Figs. 7 and 8 are views in cross section on the lines 77 and SS of Figs. 3 and 4: respectively; and Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of the completed frame ready to be attached to the wrench.

In the manufacture of a Stillson wrench it is necessary to provide a swinging framework or guide member in which the movable jaw of the wrench may be positioned and manipulated, such a frame being substantially as illustrated in the prior patents above mentioned, excepting in the detail of contour, as will be hereinafter explained Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the handle part of a wrench, 2 the movable jaw member, and 3 the swinging frame pivoted at 4 to the handle 1 and carrying the movable jaw 2. A thumb nut 5 is threaded on to the teeth 6 in the edges-of the member 2 and is positioned within the windows of the frame 3, as fully explained in said patcuts. The handle 1 is provided with a jaw 7 cooperating with the jaw 8 carried by the movable member 2 in order to clamp an object between them. A spring 7 fitted in a suitable socket in the handle 1 and acting through a pin 8 against a guiding lug 9 carried by the frame 3 to swing the frame 3 on its pivot 1- and normally hold the movable jaw 8 in position as shown in Fig. 1, permitting the jaw to be rocked inwardly to open the bite afforded by the .wrench between the jaws 7 and 8, as will be readily understood. The bandle is: provided with 'rearwardly extending guide members on either side, one

being indicated at andhaving a ledge or shoulder 11, such shoulder being on each side of the handleto' coiiperate with the extended portions 12 of the Wings of the framework3 to afford a stop or limit for tension of the spring 7, I formthese wings 12 with that part of the lower surfaces indicated at 13 recessed or cut away, such recess commencing directly under the pivotal point 4. 'Thus," as the member 2 and frame 3 are rocked forwardly toopen the bite afforded by the jaws, that portion of the wings 12' which are normally at rest upon the-ledgesll, as above explained, will at once be swung'away from the ledges and the recessed part 13 permits a relatively long In order to whereas formerly such frame was made of malleable cast iron, I first stamp from sheet steel the framework as illustrated in Fig. 2. As so stamped out the frame 3 is provided with'windo-ws 14- and 15 for the thumb nut 5 to project therethrough, in the completed wrench, the apertures 16 and 17 for the pivot pin 4 are also formed and the end members 18 and 19 are stamped out for a length equal to twice that desired in the completed framework. The frame is then bent upwardly, as illustratedin Figs. 3 and 7, the end portions 18 and 19 being subsequently bent inwardly and then subjected to a swaging or crushing stamping action, which compresses the end pieces 18 and 19 down-to a length equal to onehalf their original length and thereby doubling thethickncss of such ends, as illustrated a in F igs.4 and 8. This is of particular importosmooth or round the bearing surfaces of: andthuseliminates all necessity tance, as the entire frame 3 being of relatively thin steel. and the ends '18 and 19 constituting bearing members for the movable jaw member 2 with its teeth 6, said teeth might otherwise catch in the ends 18 19 if they were not formed of greater thicknesaas just explained. Such swaging and forming Vof'the ends 18 and 19 also acts the same,

.tfor; milling; or otherwise smoothing such surfaces. The swaging also rounds and finlshesthe entire crown of the frame 3, thus affording a smooth and evenly finished outer surface; J; v j V VHeretofore the necessity for casting a frame, such as thatshown in said prior patents and that herein illustrated as the and wide swinging action of the K framework without interference with said i ledges 11. i

form the frame 3 of steel, and thus to provide an all steel wrench,

frame 3, has resulted from the guiding lug 9 being an essential element of said frame. By means of my present invention, however, I am able to form the tilting frame of steel preferably as just explained, and then fit in a lug 9, which acts to hold the wings 12 of the frame in their final position and also provides the necessary strength in holdiiig' the lug 9 for its bearing action against the spring 7. This lug also is apt to be subjected to great strain in the use of the wrench as it may be brought to bear against the handle 1 when the spring 7 is compressed to its limit, and therefore it is important that it be capable of standing all working strains imposed upon it. While it is feasible and within the, purview of the invention to fit the guiding lug 9 in proper position in the wings 12 of the frame 3 and weld or rivet the same therein, I preferably form the said frames with slight grooves or recesses and 23 and the lug. I also provide the lug 9 with surplus material 24 and 25 adjacent each groove (see Figs. 4 and 6) and then by welding cause the steel of the parts 2% and 25 to flow into the remaining recesses of the grooves 20 and 21 or by brazing, thus forming a firmly united joint, as is shown in Figs. 5 and 9.

The process'of forming the frame 3, as just deseribed, is a simple and economical one from the manufacturing standpoint, enabling the parts to be stamped out and shaped while cold, excepting the welding or brazing of the lug 9 thereto, andfurthermore enables a tilting frame or oscillating guide to be made entirely of steel in combination with the other wrench members which are usually of steel, and thus to provide an all steel wrench of great tensile strength and with but a minimum of material and weight. Furthermore, the frame 3 is of uniform thickness throughout its extent, at all points, excepting at the guiding edges 18 and 19 which are of substantially double thickness to prevent the teeth 6 in the jaw. member 2 from catching therein.

By forming the mortised recesses 20 and 21 in the inside of the wings and then fitting and brazing the lug 9 therein, the entire outer surface ofthe wings 12 are left smooth and free from bolts, protuberances, or the I like at this point, which would be objection- Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture, an all steel wrench-of the type described, having a tilting guide frame of steel, stamped from sheet material, with oppositely formed wings and intermediate portions turned up to constitute bearings for the threaded shank of the removable jaw of the wrench, about which bearings the wings are bent, oppositely positioned mortised recesses in the inner faces of eachwing adapted to receive the sides of a lug, a steel bearing lug brazed in said recesses, said bearing members being swaged to reinforce the wings and to be broadened into greater thickness than the sheet material from which they are stamped.

2. An all steel wrench of the type described, having a tilting guide frame of steel, stamped from sheet material with oppositely Women or thla patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Pateneo, Washington, D. e."

formed wings, and intermediate bearing members about which said wings are bent, oppositely positioned mortised recesses in the inner face of said wings substantially mid-- ARTHUR J. WHITFIELD.

Witnesses:

CHARLES C. ELY, WVILLIAM T. H. SALTER. 

